The firm is developing technology to aid communication with satellites
Aoife Kelly, Dr Mark Kelly and Marie Bourke, founders of Celtonn at the Nexus Innovation Centre , University of Limerick. Picture: Arthur Ellis
The firm, which is based in the Nexus Innovation Centre in UL, was founded by Marie Bourke, Dr Mark Kelly, Aoife Kelly, Oscar Gomez and Yulung Tang in 2023. It has five staff, has raised €50,000 to date, and is developing technology to aid in communication with satellites, including developing projects aimed around 6G.
“We design and manufacture millimetre wave components for satellites in space. These are high frequency transmitters and receivers. We design the chips which transmit and receive signals at a certain frequency,” Bourke told the Business Post.
Company Details
Founded by: Marie Bourke, Dr Mark Kelly, Aoife Kelly, Oscar Gomez and Yulung Tang in 2023
Staff: 5
Funding: €50,000
Celtonn, a Limerick-based telecommunications technology business, expects to close a €1.5 million funding round in 2025.
These components enable satellite to satellite and ground to satellite communication, and will eventually provide device to satellite communication.
“Our components sit within a large system, and will be used by big blue chip companies within their communications systems. We’re currently doing a project with an aerospace company where they have commissioned us to develop transmitters and receivers for large aeroplanes,” Aoife Kelly said.
The idea grew out of the research that four of the co-founders had been working on extensively.
“I’ve been working in this area for around 40 years. Basically, four of us were working together for the past decade. When the opportunity came a year and a half ago, we decided to set up the company,” Dr Patrick Kelly said.
It was at this point that Aoife Kelly, Patrick Kelly’s daughter, joined as a co-founder due to her business experience.
“With business, it takes a village. You need a diverse range of skills. We have a cohesive range of skills that work together,” Aoife Kelly said.
The past 18 months have been focused on developing the technology and connections with potential partners.
“We’ve generated good links with both industry and national bodies to get our name out there. We’ve presented our technologies and capabilities to the European Space Agency (ESA) and to aerospace businesses as well as communications technology companies,” Bourke said.
Celtonn is supported by Enterprise Ireland and is part of the high potential start-up unit (HPSU).
“They’re really supportive. In terms of accessing networks, they’ve been a great help. The Irish delegation to the ESA is coordinated by Enterprise Ireland and being in the HPSU gives us more access again,” Aoife Kelly said.
“It’s good to know once we are raising a round that we’ll have matching funding there.”
Celtonn plans to grow its staff next year with an eye on spreading its reach to attract more interest from potential customers.
“We want to increase our engineering staff next year and to close out the investment round. That funding will help us work on our existing projects and also give us what we need to build out our sales and marketing strategy for the next few years,” Aoife Kelly said.